GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll admit it. I'm a fair-weather watch-when-the-world-cup-is-on kind of soccer fan. BUT that still makes me a fan. I watched as the U.S. held on for a (very lucky) well-played tie against the mighty Brits. I have been following scores. I haven't really tried to figure out what happens when there's a tie and how that factors into the tournament, but that's beside the point. I even have started to tune out the amazing horns that South Africa has introduced to all of us through this World Cup.

I have also determined that soccer players are some of the best athletes in the world. Have you all seen how big that field is?! Gigantic! They run THE WHOLE TIME. I get worn out just watching. However, as msn.com so accurately pointed out, watching the players is part of the fun. All I'm saying is that it's a bonus, ok?

GO USA!!!

Oh Canada!

Yes, my friends, I will soon be visiting our great neighbor to the north, Canada. I have never been to this foreign nation before, and I actually had to renew my passport in order to go. (Am I really old enough to have an expired passport? I know I got it in college, but has it been 10 years?! Yes, actually it's been 11. Since I got the passport...Only 10 since graduation. Class of 2000! Holla! Did you know that Shakespeare used "holla" in his writing? Yep. Check out "As you Like It." I know that title should be underlined, but I can't figure out how to do that right now, and I'm into instant gratification with regard to my blog technology. If I can't figure it out I move on. Am I digressing within these parentheses?)

Anyway... I'm headed to Vancouver, BC with the family. Who wants to tell me all of the amazing things I should do while I'm there? My brother wants us to be spontaneous, but I like to have a few options in mind. :)

Adventure: Angel Island

Last Saturday I went on my very first "Adventure with Ariane." She should probably start marketing and charging for these tours. We went with Dustin, Kenny, and Nate to Angel Island. We took our bikes (thank you Kenny for having a truck for all of the bikes!) and rode the ferry from Tiburon to the island. Then we rode around the entire island! Ok- it's not THAT big of an island, but we rode around an entire island. :) It was one of those gorgeous Bay Area kind of days, and even though there were some big hills and we learned more about the not-so-wonderful happenings of the Immigration Station (the very discriminatory Ellis Island of the West), it was really a very fun day. Thanks Ari!

I made everyone take pictures by the actual Angel Island sign. This is me, Kenny, and Dustin (pre-bike ride). Ariane always tells me that "if you don't take pictures of it, it didn't happen." So...we have official documentation.

Look at this view! This is (obviously) a self-portrait, but that view! We rode our bikes down to one of the fort areas where there are picnic tables, and this was our view for lunch. Not bad. I will say that the hill was really steep to get down there and I had to keep telling myself, "Just use your brakes. You're not scared. You're not scared." I was, actually, a little bit scared, but I made it down. The power of positive thinking!

I tried to take one of those pictures where you look like you're squishing the bridge. Clearly it didn't work.

This was Nate, Dustin, and Ariane getting ready to ride to the ferry.

Nate, Kenny, Dustin, and Ari on the ferry on the way to the island. Nate and Kenny do NOT look like they are having fun, but I think they did have at least a little fun. :)

I'm sorry Dustin - I had to take this picture. I took it while I was riding because I couldn't pass it up. A grown man with a tiny backpack (I KNOW it was for water, but still) and both pant legs rolled up showing off the high white socks. Classic.

I also took this one while I was riding. I am a very good bike riding photographer. Point and click, baby.

Oooh! This one I took pointing the camera behind me while I was riding. Serious mad skills!

Thanks everyone for a fun day!

"Michael J. Fox was Alex P. Keaton"

Every time I roll in my chair at work I feel like Alex P. Keaton from the TV show "Family Ties." Remember the opening song where they always showed him pushing himself in his rolling chair from his desk to someplace to check the answer in a book and then rolling back again? Anyone? No one remembers that? It's just another one of the weird pieces of television folklore stuck in my head? Ok - I can live with that. But I still see that scene in my head almost every time I roll in my chair.